Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-25
TUESDAY, OCTOBER e5, 1881.
Cardinal Gibbons.

The arrival here of His Eminence,
Cardinal Gibbons, who by virtue OF
his high office is Prince OF the hier-
archy of Rome, is a most notable
event in the history OF the Roman
Catholic Church in this city. The
members of that church feel justly
proud of the distinction of visit
from one so high in it's au-
thority and so eminent as
theoldfAn and a polemical writer.
Nor id the Cardinal less distinguished
for the virtues and ability that have
raised him to his high position in the
Church than for his profound and
perspichous knowledge OF temporal
affairs. His occasional contributions
to the leading magazines Of the coun-
try, in which he discusses social and
political topics, are marked by an ele-
walton of thought, a purity OF style
and a knowledge OF the world, which
show him to be close observer OF
the tendency of the times and a
shrewd judge of human nature. His
last mission to Rome was to prevent
the Consistory from taking fau1 pas
upon the question which had been
brought conspicuously before the
Vatican of the relation of the great
Knights of Labor movement towards
the Catholic Church. His reasoning
upon this important subject was so
clear and convincing as to bring the
Consistory to believe with him, that
the Knights OF Labor were trying to
compass by organization legitimate
object in the amelioration OF the
working classes, and that the Church
would stultify ssherself in one OF her
noblest claims-as the champion and
protectrcss OF the poor and oppressed
If she should antagonize the move
ment. His attitude upon this
question has endeared the Cardinal to
large class ofeAmericans. The fact
is, he is not only theologian of the
highest order, but he has the practical
ideas pt an acute and large-brained
statesman. As an American he views
the tendency OF party politics in the
great dTes with profound apprehen-
:
sion, and his article in the October
number of the North american Reriew,
entitled "Some Defects in Our
Political and Social Institu-
tions," is replete with suggestive
thought. The reckless facility with
which divorce is procured in many Of
our States, he systematically likens
to Mormonism, in that it leads to sue
cessive instead OF simultaneous po-
lygamy. He halls with satisfaction
the increased interest which reputable
citizens are beginning to take in prac-
ical party politics, and believes that
under this pressure positive and
needed reforms will be reached.
The Cardinal, as high Catholic
relate, will find many objects of Pc
culiar interest to him in the city of Los
Angeles. He will not fail to reflect
upon the fact that this city was laid
out by a band of Franciscan friars
under the direction Of that great pio-
neer of the cross, Father Junipero
Sierra, over a century ago,
and solemnly dedicated to the
Queen of the Angels; that for
seventy years its people were COM
posed exclusively of sons and daugh-
ters of his Church; that even down to
a very recent period the only churches
in successful existence here were those
of his faith; and that not only in Los
Angeles but throughout California, the
remotest generations will realize in the
nomenclature of our cities, rivers and
mountains, the close connection be-
tween the Catholic Church and the
reclamation of this great common
wealth from the control of savages.
The genesis of civilization on this
coast dates from the labors, the
hardships and the undaunted courage
of the Pioneer Fathers.
His Eminence's visit demands at
fention, not only because OF the
high position he occupies in the hier'
archy of the Church, but also on ac
count of his personal connection with
MANY of the most absorbing topics o.
our time. Nor are these OF interest
solely to the more religious portions
of the community they touch the high
est matters Of state, about as nearly
as they do those of the Church. The
HERALD has been at especial pains TO
set forth the views ofthis distinguished
ecclesiastic, and hardly less distin-
guished statesman, on few OF these